C. African Republic grenade attack kills 9 people

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — United Nations officials are condemning an attack on a funeral in Central African Republic that killed at least nine people including several children.

Manuel Fontaine, the regional director for the U.N. children's agency, says that civilians in Bangui are "under siege" and under threat from daily attacks.

Authorities said Friday that at least nine people were killed when suspected Muslim rebels launched a grenade attack on the funeral. Witnesses said two other people died in the subsequent fighting that broke out.

Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, exploded into sectarian violence nearly four months ago. Tens of thousands of Muslims later fled the city en masse and tensions are now mounting between Christian militia fighters and regional peacekeepers.

France has about 2,000 troops in the country along with 6,000 African forces.